NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION AT LEICESTER. 
ANOTHER ‘ Parliament of Science’ has assembled, and 
dispersed. Leicester, which had never previously entertained 
the British Association, certainly did its best to make up for 
the past. On every side was the comfort of the members 
considered. An amount of over three thousand pounds was 
subscribed locally, and we hear that an even greater sum was 
personally spent by the Mayor, Sir Edward Wood, to whom, in 
no small way, the success of the gathering was due. The 
visitors were agreeably surprised with Leicester, its cleanliness, 
its fine streets, open spaces, and absence of smoke. The 
beautiful Abbey Park, and the Museum and Grounds, were trans- 
formed into something like what ‘once upon a time’ we thought 
Fairyland to be. The weather was most favourable. Whilst 
no extraordinarily startling scientific! discovery was announced, 
each section studiously adhered to its work. There seemed to 
be fewer of the picnicking fraternity. 
THE ATTENDANCE. 
In connection with the York meeting a year ago, we pointed 
out that the disappointingly low figure on that occasions in all 
probability due to the unusually early date at which thuxneeting 
had been fixed. At Leicester it was yet earlier, the proceedings 
starting on July 31st. As might well have been prophesied, 
the record at Leicester was even lower than at York. The 
attendance of course affects the amount of money available for 
scientific research, and few were the Committees that were not 
disappointed at the way in which their applications for financial 
aid were dealt with. But, perhaps, of more import than the 
question of grants, at any rate to several of the members, was 
the absence of many familiar faces, an absence entirely accounted 
for by the unfortunate date selected for the meeting. It may 
be that the British Association meets for the purpose of further- 
ing scientific research, and it may be that most of the members 
assemble year after year with that object, but we cannot get 
away from the fact that the great charm and value of the 
gathering lies in the opportunities afforded of meeting and 
conversing with workers in the same field, from all parts of the 
world. If there is a continued choosing of early dates for the 
meetings, the result will unquestionably be detrimental to the 
interests of the Association. We are glad to learn that next 
year, at Dublin, the meeting will be held in September. 
1907 September 1, 
U 
